Pros and Cons of the UFC Ignoring Their Own Rankings When Matchmaking

In 2013, the UFC decided to stop other MMA outlets from telling the world how fighters should be ranked, and instead decided to release their own official list for every weight class. Fans from all over the world now regularly flock to the official UFC rankings, which are updated about 36 hours after every card.
However, with official rankings being available, fans are quick to point out discrepancies between who the UFC books in high profile fights and what the rankings tell us. For example, Nick Diaz and Chael Sonnen and Anthony Pettis have all been booked for title fights in divisions where they are not the No. 1 contender.
It is obvious that the UFC will continue their history of booking what they think is best for both fans and the organization, regardless of what the rankings denote.
We are not here to say that the UFC is wrong for this decision. However, here is a look at the pros and cons of ignoring official rankings when matchmaking. Begin Slideshow